Masters of the Game
by Sonic Dust
Summary: In a dystopian future, Sonic, Tails, Sally, Knuckles and everyone are engaged in a deadly battle... with each other. It's a winner-take-all bloodbath, but is the prize worth the cost? Reviews Appreciated; rated T for violence and mild language/themes.
1. the shock

STH Fanfiction by Sonic Dust  
  
Sonic the Hedgehog characters are ©Sega.  
Loosely based on an episode of Nash Bridges.  
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WARNING: THIS IS A VERY DARK VERSION OF THE SONIC THE HEDGEHOG   
CHARACTERS. VIOLENCE AND DEATH ABOUND.  
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"Masters of the Game"  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
Sonic was in a panic. He couldn't lose now, not when he had come so   
far! But he was out of ammunition. There was no chance; he was   
running for his life.  
  
A bullet ricocheted off the wall in front of him. Found! In a panic,   
he raced up the wall and onto the roof. No problem for his opponent,   
but it would buy him some time. If only this were a game! Clips   
of ammo would no doubt be in a crate somewhere, just lying-  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAGHH!"  
  
Searing pain bit into his left shoulder. He tumbled forward and fell   
off the edge of the roof, whirling just in time to grip the ledge. As   
he struggled to haul himself up, a thick-soled shoe came to rest on his   
hand.  
  
"I like these odds, blue."  
  
He stared up into those freezing blue eyes. "You would." Those sharp   
features didn't exactly frighten him, but right now they didn't   
decrease his terror any.  
  
{Is this how it ends?} he thought. {After all the time, the playing...   
a fatal fall?} He looked down toward the spot where he would leave his   
final mark on the world.  
  
And he smiled.  
  
He looked back up to his rival, and looked at what he could see of his   
belt under the dirty tan trenchcoat. Ammo was very important, and if   
he could snag a single clip, he'd be in business.  
  
And there he had it; a pouch hanging on his other hip. He could grab a   
few, if he did it right.  
  
"So, you gonna blow me away, Knux, or do I make friends with the   
cement?"  
  
The echidna stroked his chin. "Hmm... decisions, decisions..."  
  
Suddenly, without warning, Sonic pushed off from the wall, spinning.   
"Let me make it easy for you..." He bounced off the wall of the   
building across the alley and careened toward him. Knuckles had no   
time to react; by the time he got his thoughts together, he was on the   
ground, and Sonic had a couple of his clips, and was loading his guns   
quickly on the edge of the roof.  
  
Knuckles lunged forward and pushed him off.  
  
Sonic fell for a few terrifying, agonizing seconds. Then he was   
landing face first in a dumpster.  
  
"You're invincible..." The red echidna leapt off the edge and imbedded   
his spiked knuckles in the wall. By the time Sonic jumped out, he was   
already halfway down.  
  
Sonic pelted away down the street. Hah! Two was enough; one for each.   
Knux had bigger guns, but they were against the rules. He had even   
declined to use two. Sonic had to admit he was good, though. Not many   
could even keep up with him, let alone tag him.  
  
That reminded him that his shoulder hurt. He stopped to look at it,   
and found it was bleeding profusely. He dug into the inner pocket of   
his leather jacket and grabbed his gauze, and then proceeded to wind it   
tightly around his shoulder, taking off his jacket first, of course.   
The bullet had gone straight through, so he didn't have to worry about   
that.  
  
As he pulled his jacket back on, he almost got hit again. He ducked   
behind a parked car and jerked his pistols out.  
  
"Red, you'd better run while you can!"  
  
He looked out and was met by a crossbolt sticking in his spines. He   
ducked back down and yanked it out. St. John! How was it he was here,   
too?! Three players in the same city block was a rarity. And he   
didn't just dislike St. John. He wanted him out, ASAP.  
  
He looked through the windows to see the cocky skunk in the beret   
stalking toward him, reloading his crossbow. Sonic aimed through the   
window.  
  
"Nowhere to run now, eh, blue boy?"  
  
Sonic looked behind him to see the echidna's gun pointed straight at   
his head.  
  
"Red, are you crazy? St. John's out there!"  
  
"Sure he is."  
  
Sonic held up the crossbolt. "Trust me, he's here."  
  
Knux's smirk disappeared. "Fine, so he IS here. Why shouldn't I kill   
you off while I have the chance?"  
  
Sonic looked into those icy eyes. He had no answer to give him.  
  
Another arrow came sailing over their heads, barely missing Knuckles.   
"Come out, you bloody coward!"  
  
He crouched next to Sonic. "Alright. So we take care of the skunk   
first, but then it's just you and me."  
  
"No duh. I'll lead him on."  
  
Sonic stood and fired at St. John.  
  
"You insipid spineswine!" The skunk let fly several more arrows at him   
as he ran from him to the end of the alley.  
  
The end of the alley.  
  
He turned and looked at St. John. He was several yards away now, his   
crossbow aimed between his eyes.  
  
"End of the line, hog."  
  
{Anytime, Knux} he thought. He cast a quick glance past his would-be   
executioner.  
  
Knuckles was hiding behind a trashcan, twirling his gun on his finger.   
When he noticed Sonic watching him, he smiled and waved.  
  
{That lying sack of-}  
  
"Any last words before I destroy you?"  
  
Sonic gulped. His throat and mouth were completely dry. There was no   
way to get a shot in before he was pinned to the wall. He would soon   
leave this mortal coil... and he didn't even know what that means. And   
at the hands of this... this...  
  
"I gather that's a 'no'."  
  
He saw the glint in the skunk's dark eyes and broke out in a cold   
sweat. Then he squeezed his own shut. He couldn't bear to watch that   
metal point burrow itself into his forehead. Any second now...  
  
And then a bang.  
  
His eyes flew open to see St. John gasping for air, clutching his   
chest. As his hand fell away, he saw the exit wound gushing the thick,   
red liquid that came with the territory. He fell to his knees as it   
began to pour from his mouth.  
  
Knux stood and cocked his gun again. "Don't think I still won't kill   
you."  
  
Sonic, panting, slumped down the wall. "Fine. End it. I can't do it   
anymore." He drew a ragged breath. "I can't go on killing over and   
over, and for what? To stay in it? To win? I'm sick of never getting   
to rest, or getting to eat a meal at an even pace! I-"  
  
"You through, or should I come back and plug you in a couple hours?"  
  
Sonic laughed, but it came out as a cough. "Y-hack- I'm good." Then   
he passed out.  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
And came to.  
  
He looked around. Where...? Oh, yeah, the alley in South Oni. Wait,   
wasn't Knuckles-  
  
He sat bolt upright and looked around. He was alone. What time was   
it? His watch said 6 AM. He was out for five hours.  
  
He checked himself and found no new wounds. Then he noticed a piece of   
paper pinned to his shirt with a crossbolt. He tossed it aside and   
read it:  
  
"Sonic-  
Consider this a 1-Up. I don't kill unconscious people. See you on the   
next level.  
-Knuckles."  
  
He grinned. At least he has some honor.  
  
He pocketed the note and stood up. St. John was gone; all that was   
left was a smear. No doubt the Refs got him, but he's sure Knux got   
his tags.  
  
He pulled out his own chain and looked at the tarnished medallion. On   
the front it had a single blue dot. On the back was his name. The   
other necklace had the barcode, but that could actually be taken off.   
This was here until it was over.  
  
He heard the distant sirens of the SOPD. No doubt they had gotten wind   
of the gunshots and here they came. This was such a bad town; what a   
rotten response time.  
  
"I hate pigs."  
  
Sonic ran up the wall and landed on the roof, still rubbing the sleep   
out of his eyes. As he lept from roof to roof heading for the city   
limits, a helicopter shone a blinding light in his face.  
  
"Sir, what are you doing up here?"  
  
"What, I can't run across a roof or two?" he shouted.  
  
"Sir, stay right there."  
  
"Sure I will." He took off across the tops of the buildings at a such   
a speed that they couldnt' even tell which way he went.  
  
As Sonic walked to where his motorcycle was hidden under some bushes,   
he pulled out the Guidebook. He opened it to the bookmark and crossed   
off South Oni, as well as Geoffrey St.John's name. Only two more   
locations to go, and the only names left were his, Knuckles and-  
  
Oh, no.  
  
He had never really read the list of entries, just crossed off who was   
out. Now he regretted it.  
  
The final name on the list was Miles Prower.  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
the end of Ch. 1 


	2. the lull

STH Fanfiction by Sonic Dust  
  
Sonic the Hedgehog characters are ©Sega/Dic/Archie.  
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WELCOME BACK. THIS CHAPTER HAS A LOT LESS ACTION, BUT IT'S GOOD. TRUST ME ON THIS ONE. IT ALSO FILLS IN THE BLANKS OF WHAT'S GOING ON, SO YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T PASS IT UP.  
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"Masters of the Game"  
Chapter 2  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
This couldn't be. Tails was entered in this...  
  
Sonic got on his motorcycle and revved up the engine. He wished he'd never entered this stupid thing! Now he would be forced to... off his once best friend.  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
Welcome to post-apocalyptic Mobius. I believe explainations are in order.  
  
As you may have guessed, things have gone horribly wrong. Robotnik has won. He ensnared the entire world with his evil brand of justice. He did, however, stop roboticizing people; he decided it would get too boring that way. He had much more fun tormenting those who still retained their free will.  
  
He destroyed Knothole Village as soon as he found it. The Freedom Fighters built many more bases of operation, but he always found them and wiped them off the map. Eventually, they became free agents, giving up on being a team and working solo. They found this to be rough as well, so many of them gave up and got some kind of jobs. This was very hard to do, as they had to find places that would let a former resistance member onto their workforce. In other words, things are bad.  
  
But many found hope in the form of a contest.  
  
It was called simply "End Game." You outwit the opponents all across the continent to beat the odds and become the Master of the Game.  
  
The rules were simple: two guns, no bombs, winner take all. They were to eliminate the other contenstants until there was only one living to collect his prize- the rich life. Unlimited money, a paid-for condo in Robotropolis, and nothing to worry about for the rest of your life.  
  
Assuming you would still actually have it when the contest ended. In order to win, everyone else had to lose... their lives. To kill was to gain a step in the right direction. Grab their tags, and you get credit for it, credit to be used toward extra ammo, food, and whatever you need.  
  
Posters for it were everywhere, and many of the former Freedom Fighters jumped at the chance. They had nothing to lose, and everything to gain. It was the way out of the poverty-stricken miserable existence they now knew all too well. As much as they hated the prospect, they were desperate for a guarantee of an end to it all. Win or lose, you would never go hungry again.  
  
But, obviously, the game was not without it's... disadvantages. You had to ice _everyone_ on the list to win. No exceptions.  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
It was almost noon by the time Sonic reached Bolero. He needed to refuel, and not just his motorcycle.  
  
The gas station attendent looked at him funny when he handed him the dogtag with the barcode as payment, but he scanned it without saying anything about it. Sonic headed out to his bike with a bag of beef jerky and a ginger ale.  
  
He wanted to find a hotel to crash for a while, even though he just woke up a few hours ago. The rules said he couldn't hunt until 10 PM, and he wanted to rest up a bit. The next playing field, Radical City, wasn't far, about 15 miles. He'd been in a friendly race there once, against the very people he had to... he shut his brain off from the subject. He just wanted to have a peaceful evening.  
  
There, up the road a bit. Sleep Inn. What an original name. Well, their rooms were probably crappy, but that meant they were cheap. He only had a little credit left on his tag, and he didn't want to use Nack's unless he really needed to. He pulled out the weasel's tag and looked at the lavender-grey spot on the front. He had four of these, but he only had Nack's barcode left, as he'd used up the others allready. Bars. He'd sworn off drinking after the second day. He almost got wasted in both connotations.  
  
As he got to the hotel parking lot, he saw a girl on the corner, dressed in a tight leather mini skirt, platform shoes and a halter top. {Can't I stop in a decent town?} he asked himself. {Bolero's not much better than South-}  
  
The girl looked oddly familiar.  
  
He pulled his key out of the ignition and walked over to her. That dark red-brown hair, her thinly build... he knew it from somewhere. As he got closer to her, she still didn't turn around. He tapped her on the shoulder.  
  
"Hey."  
  
She turned around to face him. She had deep blue eyes that got wider when they saw the mysterious guy in the jacket. She started to back away.  
  
"Wait, don't go. I know you."  
  
She stopped. "I don't remember you, but if you're back-" She hesitated, then looked hard into his face. "Now that you mention it, you do look a little familiar."  
  
The voice was starting to jog his memory. It seemed like the harder he pressed for her name, the faster he came up empty. "It seems like I used to know you a long time ago... but I can't..."  
  
She suddenly gasped. "Oh, my- Sonic?!"  
  
That was all it took to break the wall in his mind. "S-Sally?!"  
  
She ran into his arms. "Geez, it's been forever! Oh my God, what are you doing here? I haven't seen you in ages!"  
  
"Sal! I can't believe it! I didn't think I'd ever see you again!" He pulled away and looked into her face. "How've you been?!"  
  
The squirrel brushed a stray hair out of her face. "Okay, considering. What about you? What have you been doing since everything?"  
  
Sonic almost told her, then thought better of it. "N-nothin' much. Just hangin' around."  
  
"'Hangin' around' in Bolero? Nobody comes here on purpose."  
  
"Well, what are you doing here, then?"  
  
"It's a long story." She sat down on the curb. "To make it short, the trucker I was hitchhiking with wouldn't take me any farther."  
  
He looked at her hard as he plunked down next to her. "You, hitchhike? That doesn't sound like the Sal I knew."  
  
She looked away. "Things change."  
  
"I know." The guns hidden under his jacket were a constant reminder of that.  
  
"You aren't telling me everything, Sonic."  
  
"Neither are you, Princess."  
  
She winced. "I'm no princess. I'm just a once-was. Now that big, stupid, oily, metallic sicko is the only existing royalty."  
  
"Yeah. Too bad we couldn't change it when we had the chance."  
  
"If only-" She was interrupted by a car horn. They looked up to see a goofy young zebra roll down the window of his red sports car.  
  
"This look good to ya?" He yelled, holding out a $20 bill.  
  
She stood up and yelled some things at him that Sonic couldn't believe were really coming from her mouth. The kid returned the favor and raced off.  
  
She sat back down and covered her face with her hands. "Twenty. The nerve."  
  
Sonic stood up and backed away. "So."  
  
She looked up at him, a sorrowful look playing at her features. "I know, I know. What else am I supposed to do, huh? Starve? Die?"  
  
"You don't need this. Anything is better than this crap, Sal."  
  
She stood, voice hot with pent-up anger. "Like what? Minimum wage at a fast food joint? I don't know anything about working for those places. I know how to fight and strategize. I can't lift those heavy boxes all day long, or weld girders together. This... this is me." She leaned against the traffic light.  
  
He felt a pang. How could something this atrocious happen? He moved toward the poor soul.  
  
She gave him an even gaze. "Decide you like my profession? Want to sample the merchandise, do you? Go ahead."  
  
He stopped. That wasn't fair. "Fine. You've made your bed. Now you have to sleep in it. Over and over again." He pulled out a $20. "Here. Don't spend it on drugs or anything. You can keep your... commodity." He turned to the inn.  
  
"Sonic..."  
  
He looked back at her. She was on the verge of tears. "I... I'm sorry. Thank you." She ran over and hugged him tightly. "I'm just so tired of doing it... selling my flesh so cheap, night after night. I want out, I- I really do..." She bawled on his shoulder.  
  
"It's allright." He rubbed her back tenderly. He knew she couldn't have changed that much. "We do what we can to stay alive." He choked on his next words. "E... even kill."  
  
She pulled away sharply. "Wh-what?"  
  
He took a deep breath. This wouldn't go well. "Ever hear of... 'End Game'?"  
  
Her hand automatically flew to her mouth. "You... you didn't... you aren't..."  
  
He pulled out the fistfull of dogtags. "I am." He held them out to her, and she took them. The squirrel pawed through them dumbfounded. Then she got to his most recent two.  
  
"Nack? Vector?!" She looked up at him, shocked and disbelieving. "Sonic, what have you turned into?"  
  
"A player." He couldn't bear to look at her. "A hunter being hunted." He pulled out his dogtags. "A number."  
  
She looked from them to him, back at them. Then her eyes settled on him.  
  
"You murderer."  
  
"You could say that."  
  
"You'd destroy people to give yourself a chance?" she said, her not-yet-abated anger rising again. "Do you really believe you'll get what they promised?"  
  
"They have to. If they don't, I... I don't know what I'll do."  
  
"You killed them! For a chance at a load of money! What kind of animal are you?"  
  
He whirled to look at her, teeth set. "They knew what they were doing when they signed up, Sally. So did I." He took off his jacket and pointed at the bandage on his shoulder.  
  
"I got this yesterday, or early this morning, you might say." He looked at it. "Knuckles."  
  
"Knuckles entered?" She held onto the traffic light pole for support.  
  
Sonic didn't want to tell her any more. He was tearing what was left of her world apart with every word; he could see it. If he mentioned little Tails was competing, she might lose it alltogether.  
  
"I'm no Freedom Fighter anymore," he said, pulling his jacket back on. "I'm a sorry disappointment. That's why I hope I lose."  
  
Sally started. Her mouth moved, but nothing came out.   
  
"Knuckles could've killed me earlier. I wish he had. I can't live like this anymore. I don't want to." He turned to walk away. "I want it over and done with."  
  
"Oh, my God, Sonic. Don't do that, don't give up!"  
  
"What?" He looked her in the eyes. "You just said-"  
  
"I know, but if they want to die, then that's their choice." She moved closer to him. "I just found the man I-" These words came hard. It was understandable; it had been awhile since she'd had a friend, let alone... "I- love, after... oh, I don't know how long." She hugged him close. "I don't want to lose you again."  
  
"Sal..."  
  
She sniffled, then thought of something. "But can't you, I don't know, drop out?"  
  
"Didn't you just say I shouldn't give up?"  
  
"I meant on life." She wiped her eyes. "Suicide isn't all that fun, either. I know..." She looked down at the small, thin scars on her wrists.  
  
Sonic gaped. "Oh, no. Sally, I... I should've been here," he said, hugging her close with the silly fear she might suddenly die from it now. "I'm sorry."  
  
"You couldn't help it. Our escape from Coral Village was hectic, at best. Just... just promise me you won't die, not now."  
  
"But I can't drop out... it's in the rules." He released her to pull out the Guidebook. "Those who wish to withdraw from 'End Game' are automatically put to death, but quickly and painlessly. It says right here."  
  
She just stared at the black leather cover for a moment. Then she knocked it to the ground. "Stupid contest! Why does life have to be so, so..." She couldn't think of anything to call it.  
  
"Listen," he said. "Maybe I can reason with the other two players. We could all skip outta here, outta this rotten country."  
  
"Who's the other contestant, anyway?"  
  
He averted his gaze. "You don't want to know."  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
Sonic was torn. He was tired of this existence, and wanted to end it. But now he had hope; he had Sally back. He would survive simply to keep her from attempting to take her own life again. He didn't want that to happen.  
  
He rolled over and looked at the clock. 9:25. He needed to get up and get ready to confront whoever was waiting for him in Radical City.  
  
As the hedgehog pulled on his jacket, he looked at the black book lying on his bedside table. In it, Sally's number was written. When they parted, he'd made her promise not to go back to- to get a new job. As soon as this was all settled, he'd come back and get her, and they'd... he didn't know exactly what, but they'd get out. Somehow.  
  
He checked his guns. Each pistol was only missing a couple rounds. He couldn't bear the thought of killing another soul now, but if they wouldn't listen to reason...  
  
Sonic made his way down the stairs, all his worldly posessions in his pockets. Time to check out. He handed the clerk Nack's tag, and she scanned it without question.  
  
"Thanks much, shuga. Have yahself a good day, y'heah?" She handed him the barcode and went back to her romance novel.  
  
As he took it, his brows knitted. Surely, not two familiar faces in the same day... "Bunnie?"  
  
She looked up from her reading, confused. "Yeah, hon'?"  
  
He couldnt' believe it! He studied her closely. It was her, allright; only now she had collagen in her lips and her soft forelock was dyed black. It also looked like she had implants- er, not that he was looking, but they were extremely noticeable. He noticed she wore long sleeves and gloves to hide her robotic arm, as well as very dark pantyhose to hide the legs.  
  
"Bun, don't you recognize me?"  
  
"Sorry, Ah don't know many punks."  
  
He laughed. He, too, looked a lot different than when they had last seen each other, about a decade ago; many, many scars on his face, as well as wild green hair to match his eyes. He did look like a punk with the jacket and all.  
  
"Bunnie, it's me, Sonic!"  
  
She started to laugh, then looked harder. "Oh, mah stars and garters, it is you!" Then she did laugh, and leaned over the counter and gave him a crushing hug. "How've ya been, shuga-hog?" She pulled back and swatted at his hair. "And what the heck have you done ta y'self?"  
  
He ran a hand through it. "Hey, I'm too well-known. This was an easy way to blend in. What about you? The lips, the hair, the, uh..."  
  
"Ah see yoah still the same as ever," she replied, giggling. "Just got the rack done last week." She looked him over again. "My, my, my... Sonic the Hedgehog. Never thought Ah'd see the likes of you again. Not after... well, yah know." A faraway look came over her. "Ah miss those days."  
  
"Me too." He drummed his fingers on the counter. "You were smarter than me, though. You went and got a normal job."  
  
"What's goin' on with y'all, then?"  
  
He didn't want to go through this again, but couldn't think of a very good lie. Besides, he didn't like lying to friends. "End Game."  
  
She didn't say anything for a second. "But... but ain't that the game that... mah stars." She looked at him closely. "Please tell me ya didn't..."  
  
"Fine, I didn't," he said half-heartedly. "But it's not the truth."  
  
She thought a second. "So... how many people have yah..."  
  
"Killed?" he choked out.  
  
"Stop it, shuga," she wispered. "Yah sound so... so blunt, an' heartless."  
  
"I'm not proud of it, Bun. I just... did it." He looked at her. "I'm getting out."  
  
Her eyes widened. "But, they put th' ones that try tah drop out tah death!"  
  
"I can beat them. What're they gonna do, shoot me? You think I don't already have enough experience dodging bullets over the past few months?" He leaned forward. "I've stayed alive, long enough to remove four Mobians off the face of the planet. I won't do it again. I can't."  
  
Bunnie couldn't believe what she was hearing. She could feel herself starting to get angry. "Why stop now? Why not go on an' kill th' othah two? Y'all will be set fah life."  
  
He bit his lip. "The last two contestants..."  
  
"What about 'em?"  
  
"Knuckles, and... and Tails."  
  
She about lost it. "What's this world comin' ta?! Is everyone Ah know in this dang thing?"  
  
"Not anymore..."  
  
"What? Why?" No answer. "Tell me what ya know, Ah can handle it."  
  
Sonic bit his lip. "I didn't kill him, don't get mad at me!"  
  
"Who? Sonic, tell me!"  
  
He held his breath. "Antoine's gone."  
  
Silence.  
  
A minute crawled by. Bunnie couldn't process the information, and Sonic couldn't think of anything to say. Then he walked around the counter and put his hand on her shoulder.  
  
After a moment, she turned and cried into his jacket. "My gawd... Ah... Ah can't believe..."  
  
Sonic mentally kicked himself. He had known it would shatter her. He shouldn't have told her; it would've been better that she think he was still alive somewhere.  
  
Suddenly, he felt her grip his jacket harshley. "Who done it? Who killed mah... who was it?!"  
  
"A player by the name of Jest. I took him out a while ago."  
  
He never would've guessed she would respond this way. "Good." Then she released him, wiping her eyes. "Ah'm sorry Ah mussed yoah jacket, hon'."  
  
"This thing's seen worse than your tears, Bunnie." He patted her on the shoulder. "Y'know, the way I hear it, he snuck up behind him and shot him in the head. He didn't even have time to be scared."  
  
She let out a shuddering sigh. "At least he... didn't feel no pain." Her arms rested on his shoulders. "Listen, Ah... Ah guess Ah can't blame ya fo' what yah've done."  
  
"Why not? I do."  
  
"Yah so bittah, shuga-hog... the past years musta been terrible."  
  
"My life was a living hell... until now." He pulled out his guns, and Bunnie sucked a breath in through her teeth. "I may never have to use these again. I can't say I hate 'em, but... I won't miss them much."  
  
"You scare me," she said as he put them away.  
  
He didn't expect that. "I'm sorry, that was dumb, I shouldn't wave my pistols around like that."  
  
"Oh, it's alright. Yoah used to 'em." She blew a bang out of her eyes. "So, aftah ya ditch the game... what're ya gonna do?"  
  
"Well, I... ran into Sally."  
  
"Oh, ya did?" she said, wincing. "Ya didn't happen tah see her at... work, now, didja?"  
  
Sonic folded his arms. "Yeah, I saw her 'working'." He sighed. "I feel so bad for her. That life is... much worse than mine."  
  
"She lives heah, yah know. Room B25."  
  
"Thanks," Sonic said, checking his watch, "but I have to go. I gotta try and stop this mindless carnage, Bun."  
  
"Good luck, shuga. Look me up when ya get back. Ah live heah, too."  
  
He wasn't sure how to read that, and didn't want to think about it. "Will do."  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
The rain pelted Sonic's face as he roared along the highway. He reached into his pocket and put on his goggles. They looked stupid, but it was too dark for shades, and they saved his eyes.  
  
He wished he didn't have to do this. He wanted to send somebody else. He wanted... he didn't know what he wanted.  
  
The motorcycle skidded to a stop on the slick pavement, just barely. He moved it into place behind a billboard and took the key out.  
  
As he walked into Radical City, he couldn't help thinking about his childhood lost. Robotnik was more than a tyrant, he was a theif; he'd stolen their entire lives, driving them to these desperate means. He just hoped Knuckles and Tails weren't over the edge so far they couldn't come back.  
  
This brought to surface the issue of afterward. Where would they go? Downunda? He heard Robotnik had bombed the place, but he didn't think he'd bothered to take it over; it was a possibility. The Floating Island? No, it was quarrantined for radiation. Maybe Mercia...  
  
Well, he could think about it later. Right now he had to concentrate. He was either going to walk away from here with an ally... or his tags.  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
end of chapter 2 


	3. the team

STH Fanfiction by Sonic Dust  
  
Sonic the Hedgehog characters are ©Sega/Dic/Archie.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE, I DECIDED TO GET OFF MY LAZY DUFF AND WRITE SOME MORE. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR RAVE REVIEWS, ESPECIALLY JODAN, LAZER TH, SATURN'S GEMINI, AND SUZIE ECHIDNA; THANKS, GUYS! WE NOW RETURN YOU TO YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED ACTION FIC.  
SONG SUGGESTION: "The Wretched" by Nine Inch Nails  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Masters of the Game"  
Chapter 3  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
Sweat poured down his face. It was a hot night in the city, and he didn't want to face this. Of course, he had no choice; he'd have to. He didn't even know who to expect here, but he knew somebody would show, and he'd have to figure out what to do then.  
  
He walked past the towering black buildings, passing a red one now and then. They were all crumbling death traps; Radical City was dead, and had been that way for a long time. They even-  
  
Wait.  
  
He darted into an alley. He thought he'd spotted a familiar shadow on the ground, but couldn't be sure. He now looked up toward the sky.  
  
SMACK!  
  
Sonic went flying back into a pile of reeking garbage. Pulling his head out of a cardboard box, he looked up to confirm who had struck him. He wasn't disappointed.  
  
"Get up."  
  
He reluctantly rose to his feet. "Look, man, I-"  
  
"Shut up!" He waved the pistol at him menacingly.  
  
"Tails, listen! It's me!"  
  
"I know that, Sonic. You think I care?"  
  
He looked down at the dirty pavement. It appeared this might not work. "I guess not, buddy."  
  
"Don't call me that!"  
  
He couldn't bear this. His one-time best friend was out for blood now, just like he had been mere days ago. If only there was some way to turn him, to help him see how vicious and morally bankrupt the game had made him.  
  
He looked up. Miles Prower had changed, alright; he was an adult now. His fur was a darker brown now, and his hair was black, and much longer, reaching down past his head. His eyes were yellow, which made him uncomfortable. He wore a grey jumpsuit with molded body armor, spiked on the shoulders, and a black and red gunbelt. He had forsaken his red and white shoes for black steel-toed boots, and had re-attached the jet anklets to them. Yes, he would definitely be a worthy opponent.  
  
But he wasn't his opponent. Not if he could help it.  
  
"C'mon, Tails... you haven't even heard wh-"  
  
"I SAID QUIET!" He fired. Well, that settled that.  
  
Sonic bolted to the side, racing up the side of the alley wall. As he landed on the top, he whirled and drew his guns, awaiting his one-time ally.  
  
"Aighhh!" He fell to the ground, unbearable agony coursing through his right leg. He gasped, and rolled over to face the two-tailed fox, laughing despite it all.  
  
"From behind... little sneak."  
  
His opponent landed and stalked toward him. "I'm not a little anything, anymore, Sonic." He spat his name as if it were a swear word. "I'm not some puppet, a dog walking in your shadow."  
  
"Did I ever... say you were?" He tried to prop himself up, but Tails stopped and raised his gun directly at his forehead.  
  
"You didn't have to. I knew I was nothing compeared to the allmighty speed freak." His voice held unchecked rage. "You killed my family!"  
  
Sonic's eyes went wide. This life hadn't been so kind to his little buddy; it had driven him insane. "What?! Tails, you're not thinking straight, man, Robotnik killed-"  
  
"SHUT YOUR FACE!" He fired a shot that sliced through the tip of Sonic's left ear.  
  
"AAAAAH!" He groped at the fresh wound, somewhat greatful for the distraction from the now-old pain in his leg. "Tails, I would never hurt you! Your parents were roboticized by Robotnik! I took you in!"  
  
Tails was clutching his head. "Lies, all lies! You- you did it! It was, it was..."  
  
He sat up slowly. He'd heard rumors of this kind of thing. "They 'aligned' you, didn't they?"  
  
"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UUUUUUPPPP!!!"  
  
He slowly dragged himself to his hands and knees and crawled toward his former friend. "It's okay, just let it come out."  
  
The young fox sank to his knees and bashed his head repeatedly against the sidewalk. "MAKE IT SHUT UP! STOP THIS!"  
  
"The voices," he said. "They sound like yours, they tell you what to do, don't they? They tell you what to think is real, and what isn't." He finally reached him, and placed his hand on his back.  
  
"Get off! EVERYBODY, GET AWAY!"  
  
"You can fight it, man! They're wrong, don't listen to them, listen to me; listen to yourself! You can tell they're fake!"  
  
"AAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" He sank to the ground panting and sweating. Then, he stopped breathing.  
  
"T-tails?" He rolled him over. "TAILS?!"  
  
His eyelids twitched, but no other movement. Sonic felt for a pulse.  
  
"Oh, thank God!" He immediately began CPR, hoping he knew how to do it right. He pumped up and down on his chest, forcing the old, useless air out of him. Then he hesitated.  
  
"Bud, you know I love you, but don't take this the wrong way!" He began respiration, reinflating his lungs. Then the fox began to cough.  
  
"YES! Oh, come on, Tails, wake up!"  
  
His eyes fluttered open. To his relief, they weren't yellow anymore. The alignment had been broken.  
  
"Wh..who?" He sat up slowly, trying to focus. "Sonic? Wha... oh, no, I... I'm sorry, man!" He flung his arms around him, tears rolling down his face. "I can't believe I tried to..."  
  
"It's okay, dude, it wasn't your fault. I've done just as bad under my own influences."  
  
"Yeah." He let go and helped Sonic stand. "Sorry about your leg and ear. I wish I could stop myself, but... you know."  
  
"I just need to get the slug out." He reached back and felt inside the wound in his calf. "Hmm... uh... ah, there it is." He bit his lip and yanked it out. "Ah, that's better." As he pulled his gauze out and wrapped it, he noticed Tails staring at him in disbelief.  
  
"Whoa. You didn't even cry out. You've changed."  
  
"Speak for yourself, Mr. Prower." He stood up weakly and walked a few steps. "I may not be running for a day, but I can walk no sweat. All I have to do is make it to my bike, anyway."  
  
"Sonic," he began hesitantly. "I... what do we do?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, neither of us iced the other... do you think they'll come after us, now?"  
  
"I dunno, man... they may just figure we've set up an alliance to bump off Knuckles."  
  
"Hey, that's true." He stared at him intently. "Are we?"  
  
He returned the fox's gaze evenly. "Not if I can get through to him, too. And I don't think it'll be as simple as breaking his alignment..."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"He hasn't been aligned. He's become what I was... a hunter."  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
Sonic was once again screaming down the road at a maddening pace, but this time he wasn't alone. Above him was Tails, actually keeping up with him with those jet anklets. They were headed toward Xander, population 500,000. They were a couple days ahead of schedule, and it was on the way to the final destination; Robotropolis. Besides, a little R&R couldn't hurt.  
  
As they neared the town, Sonic thought of the home he once knew- the cluster of little huts that was Knothole. He thought about his uncle, about Dulcy, about Rotor, about the rest of the royal family. What happened to all of them? He wished he knew. At first, he'd tried to find them all, but now realized that was quite impossible. He was lucky enough to have stumbled across the three friends he had.  
  
He noticed Tails had pulled out in front of him and was signaling. He followed him to the parking lot of The J. Rogers Hotel and Tavern.  
  
"So, why we stopping here, keyed?"  
  
Tails ran a hand through his stringy mop. "Whew, I haven't heard that name in a long time. Well, we need a place to stay, and this place has pretty good rooms at really cheap rates." He winked. "And the best vodka on the continent, bud."  
  
"You drink?!"  
  
"Doesn't everybody?" He produced a pack of cigarettes and lit one up.  
  
"AND smoke?! Is there any vice you haven't indulged?"  
  
He thought a minute. "Never have I binge eaten an entire pound of chocolate, and I haven't gambled more than a few hundred bucks away." Then he mumbled under his breath, "At one time."  
  
"Man, this is weird." He sat on the curb. "I can't say I blame you, though. I used to drink, too."  
  
"You kicked it, eh? Wish I could."  
  
"I was so drunk, I stepped out in traffic. If I wasn't Sonic, I woulda been the grill ornament of a semi."  
  
"Ouch."  
  
"Besides, it costs too much. I'm so low on funds, dude." He pulled out Nack's tag. "But this should get me by 'til this is all over."  
  
"I hear ya. I'm pretty tapped. Arlo's tag's all I got left."  
  
"Arlo?" Sonic knew that name. "Wasn't he one of Sally's new recruits?"  
  
"Yeah, I think so." He looked at the tag. "Well, not anymore, but you know how it is."  
  
"All too well." He reached into the secret inner pocket and produced two tags. One had Jester written on it. The other bore the name Antoine. "I hope you burn in Hell, Jest."  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
Sonic stormed into the bar. "MILES PROWER!"  
  
The fox lifted his head from the bar, his hand still wrapped around a shotglass. "Whadaya want? Who..."  
  
"You get your tails off that stool and go to bed! We gotta jet in the morning."  
  
"Spspspspspoilsporttt." He then promptly fell off the stool. Sonic stooped down and helped him to his feet.  
  
"Up, boy." He led him carefully down the hall to the elevator. As they rode up, he smacked the drunken fox in the face. "Hey, what's the matter with you? Geez, you're a full-blown sot."  
  
"If you two would quit talking, I could gessome sleep."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Sonic dragged him down the hall to his room. "Gimme your key."  
  
"Whakey?"  
  
"Grr..." He figured it would be in his pocket, and he was right. He opened the door and shoved the fox inside. "Here's your key, kid. Can you find the bed, or do you need help?"  
  
"I be good."  
  
"Fine." Sonic slammed the door shut and walked down the hall to his own room. The truth was that he was more disappointed than anything; Tails was addicted, and far worse than he ever was. He hoped he could be cured; wherever they ended up, it probably wouldn't have much booze for him to poison himself with.  
  
As he began taking off his jacket, he thought better of it. He didn't feel tired in the least, and didn't feel at all like staring at the ceiling for hours on end. Who knows- a little walk just might be the antidote to his insomnia...  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
How cold it was out here. It was unnaturally cold. Almost as if heat itself had ceased to exist, except in his memory.  
  
But the streets of Xander were surprisingly crowded, even so. Throngs of citizens flooded the busy sidewalks, racing off to wherever and whatever. It seemed most of them were echidnas, he noticed. He wondered why...  
  
He picked his way to a small deli. It looked like a calm in the urban storm, and he entered, breathing in the smell of fresh bread and salty chips. He walked over to the counter and drummed his fingers on it for a moment.  
  
"Well?" the saucy young girl behind the register asked him.  
  
"Turkey club with cheddar," he said after a moment. "And a cup of coffee. Decaf." He did need his sleep, after all.  
  
"Whatever." She poured him the coffee, then shooed him to the side as the next customer stepped up. As he added his cream and sugar, he watched the burly dingo in the kitchen fix his sandwich. Then he heard something hit the floor and scatter.  
  
"Oh, crap!" a female voice said. A disturbingly familiar voice...  
  
He glanced down to see a purse, its contents spilled all over the floor. He bent down and recovered a makeup bag and a hair pick.  
  
"Here ya go."  
  
"Thank you so much, sir.... Omigosh!"  
  
Yep. It was Julie-Su.  
  
"Julie!" he exclaimed, standing up and handing her her things. "I thought that voice sounded familiar! What are you doing here?"  
  
"I should ask you that question," she responded, brushing her pink-and-violet forelock out of her eyes. At least her hair hadn't changed; other than that, she was wearing a long coat and high heels. Her robotic dreadlock was gone, now; it was a synthetic one instead. "I live here."  
  
"Oh, well that explains that!" He smiled. "I haven't seen you in such a long time..."  
  
"I know! This is quite the coincidence. Wow, Sonic The-"  
  
"Get a room, willya?!"  
  
"CAN IT!" she snapped at the man behind her. "Geez, Xanderians. What are ya gonna do?" The cashier handed her a latte. "Oh, Sonic, I think that's your sandwich."  
  
"Oh, so it is," he said, just now recovering from her outburst. He picked up his club and they both walked over to a booth. "Well, whatcha been up to lately?"  
  
"Nothing much," she said. "Basically just being the mayor's wife." She looked down into her mug. "Even if he's away on business..."  
  
"What? You're married?!" Sonic grinned from ear to ear. "Who to?"  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Knuckles, who else, Sonic? I would kind of have to be married to the mayor to be his wife."  
  
This confused Sonic. If he was the mayor, why did he want to enter the contest? Then a sudden thought crossed his mind.  
  
"Uh... what kinda business is he off on?"  
  
"I don't know, he didn't really say." She took a sip. "Why?"  
  
So he hadn't told her. Well, he couldn't decide if he should. "Just curious." He could always tell her later.  
  
"I wish he'd come back soon. It bites being without him this long." She drank from her cup, then looked at him. "You know, it's better when it's fresh."  
  
He looked at her confusedly for a moment, then noticed she was looking at his sandwich. "Oh, yeah, I have food." He laughed nervously. He'd been so wrapped up in all this that it had slipped his mind. He unwrapped his club and took a bite, and melted. "Oh, man, this is delicious!"  
  
"I know," she said, smiling. "This is the best deli in Xander. If only they'd get better help..." She glared at the girl behind the counter, who glared back, then giggled.  
  
"Did I miss something?"  
  
"Not really. Just an inside joke. Teri-na acts tough, but she has a good heart." She glanced at her watch. "Whoa, it's too late for me. I'm off. Listen, I live in the mayoral mansion, duh. Stop by sometime. Maybe my elusive husband will even be there."  
  
Sonic bit back his response of "Maybe not." Instead, he simply said, "Okay. Nice running into you."  
  
"You, too. Good night!"  
  
Then the hedgehog was alone with his meal and nagging sense of dread.  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
"Here comes the rain again..."  
  
Sonic hummed the rest of the song to himself as they raced down the pavement toward the towering blemish on the horizon that was Robotropolis. He looked up at Tails, whom was pounding his head at regular intervals, making him fly rather erratically. The hedgehog laughed.  
  
"I hate to say I told you so, but... wait, no I don't!"  
  
"SHUT UP, OKAY? You got any aspirin?"  
  
"Yeah, pull over!"  
  
Sonic pulled off onto the desolate wasteland next to the road, Tails landing a few feet away. The fox walked over to him, holding his head.  
  
"Quick, give it here. This hurts like a mofo, and it's not going to get better without drugs, legal or not."  
  
He handed him the small bottle. "You're not some kind of victim here, dude. You did do this to yourself."  
  
"Shut up, willya?" He downed four pills. "I'll kick it. Tomorrow."  
  
Sonic shook his head. "Sure you will."  
  
Then they were on the road again, racing toward a world of uncertainty. The only thing that was certain was that after this, nothing would ever be the same.  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
end of chapter 3 


	4. the tragedy

STH Fanfiction by Sonic Dust  
  
Sonic the Hedgehog characters are ©Sega/Dic/Archie. "Masters of the Game" and all story elements within are ©Sonic Dust, as if you couldn't figure it out.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
I KNOW, I SAID I WOULD HURRY WITH CHAPTER 4, BUT I DIDN'T. IT'S JUST THAT I'M STARTING TECH SCHOOL, AND IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO WORK MY WRITING IN, WHAT WITH TOONAMI'S LOCKDOWN AND ALL. HEY, IT LOOKS FUN ENOUGH. I JUST WISH TOONAMI WASN'T NOTHING BUT DRAGONBALL NOW. HEY, IT'S A GOOD SHOW, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE MILLIONS OF OTHER ANIME SHOWS THEY COULD BE SHOWING?! SORRY, BUT OUTLAW STAR ISN'T ENOUGH TO QUALIFY AS 'VARIETY', AND BATMAN BEYOND ISN'T EVEN ANIME! AT LEAST THEY'RE SHOWING COWBOY BEBOP ON SUNDAYS.  
BUT I DIGRESS. THIS CHAPTER MAY BE THE END. I HAVEN'T DECIDED YET... YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO FIND OUT ALONG WITH ME. OF COURSE, BY THE TIME I POST IT, I'LL KNOW.  
MUSIC CREDITS:  
"Somewhere Else to Be" by Vast  
"Leavin' on a jet plane" from, oh, i forget  
DURING THE LAST SUB-CHAPTER, I SUGGEST LISTENING TO "Seven" by David Bowie  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Masters of the Game"  
Chapter 4  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
NOK, NOK, NOK!  
  
Bunnie Rabbot's eyes fluttered open. Someone at the door? NOW? She couldn't believe this. She had just got off as soon as Ben had arrived to take over at the front desk. Sleep! To sleep, perchance to... sleep some more. She got so dead tired working the night shift. And for someone to disturb her now, whatever it was...  
  
"My gawd... what time is..."  
  
The clock said 1:35 p.m.. She'd only been asleep for fifteen minutes.  
  
NOK, NOK, NOK!  
  
"Hold your horses!" Frustrated, she slid out from under the warmth of the sheets and grabbed for her blue terry-cloth robe. She tied the belt as she staggered toward the door. She rubbed her eyes before twisting the knob.  
  
"Ah don't want any- oh, hi, Sally-girl."  
  
"Hi, Bunnie." The brown-furred squirrel looked kind of anxious. She also looked kind of cheap in that boustier, but Bunnie had seen her wardrobe before. "Sorry to wake you like this..."  
  
"Need me to call the cops to throw out another one o' your 'customers'?"  
  
"No, nothing like that... I'm sorry, it's silly."  
  
Bunnie was intrigued by now. "Well, honey, what is it, then?"  
  
"Well, I... Bunnie, can I sleep with you tonight?"  
  
The rabbot put her hands on her hips. "Look, Ah've told you once, and Ah'll tell ya again, Ah ain't interested in-"  
  
"No, Bunnie, I just mean sleep-sleep."  
  
Bunnie brushed her hair out of her face. "Sally-girl, are y'all okay? You act a bit jittery."  
  
"Well, it's... I don't know, it kind of seems stupid, now."  
  
"Oh, forget that. It obviously can't be that dumb if it's got y'all so worked up over it." She turned on the light. "Come on in and tell me about it."  
  
"Oh... okay." She slipped in the door and shut it behind her as Bunnie plopped down in a chair.  
  
"Shoot, sweetie."  
  
"I guess I'll just start off by telling you it was a bad dream." She bit her lip. "Dumb, huh?"  
  
"No, not really. Ah have those all the time, they're a part o' life." Her brow knitted. "But what was so bad about this one that you couldn't just chalk it up to a rotten taco or somethin'?"  
  
Sally slowly slid into the chair opposite her friend. "Well, it... it was about Sonic."  
  
"Oh, well, then. What happened?"  
  
"Well, he was fighting in that game and he..."  
  
"He got killed?"  
  
Sal shook her head, her mussed hair swaying. "Worse. He killed more people. He killed Knuckles, he killed you, he killed... he..."  
  
Bunnie placed her hand on her friend's reassuringly. "Who?"  
  
"He killed me."  
  
"Oh mah stars, child. Now you know he would never do that."  
  
"I know, but... after he killed me, he... killed himself."  
  
Bunnie's eyebrow raised. "An' how could you see this if you were dead?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know, I told you it was dumb."  
  
"No, no it ain't. Come here." She pulled her in for a tight hug. "Sonic's in a heap o' trouble right now. You're just worried about him, whether you're awake or not. Don't worry, he'll be fine."  
  
"But what if he isn't?" She got up and sat down on her bed, looking down at her feet. "What if somebody gets to him? I've only just found him, and now... now I don't think I could go on if I lost him again."  
  
"Don't talk like that!" Bunnie sighed. She could tell nothing would calm her enough now. "Fine, then. Scoot over, I get this side."  
  
Sally wiped her eyes. "Thanks, Bun. I guess I'm just a scaredy-squirrel."  
  
"No, ya just need a friend." She reached over and clicked off the light. "Just don't be grabbin' my ass like you do with all your other bedmates."  
  
"Would you shut up?" Sally exclaimed, burrowing under the sheets. "I told you I quit that biz! I work at the illustrious Taco Hut now, and have no need for corner-standing!"  
  
"Then who was that guy you had up a couple hours ago?"  
  
"That was the plumber, here to fix YOUR hotel's shower... like you promised to do last week?"  
  
"Oh, really? How'd you pay him, offer to test it out?"  
  
"Now that's hitting below the belt!"  
  
"Your favorite target, shuga."  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
Sonic wasn't in any danger at the moment. He was leaning against a brick wall in the dimly-lit alley behind Booty Lounge, waiting for Tails to either get done or get thrown out, twirling a cigarette between his fingers, trying to decide whether or not his lungs deserved the abuse. He finally flicked it into a puddle, opting to listen to his Discman instead.  
  
Just then the door swung open.  
  
"OUT, TRASH!"  
  
Tails and an equally young chihuahua came flying out the door, smacking into the wall across the dingy sidestreet. Sonic looked to the door next to him in time to see the bouncer dust his hands off and shut it.  
  
"Dammit, man!" the little guy shouted. "Why you gotta start somethin' in there, man? I paid muy pesos to get in there, man!"  
  
"Hey, you're the one who ran into me, you friggin-"  
  
"That's a lie, man! You better shut your stupid face, loco, before I kick your ass, but good!"  
  
"Bring it on, you sorry piece of-"  
  
"TAILS!" Sonic grabbed his buddy by the collar. "Cool it. We don't need this kinda trouble."  
  
"But he's mouthin' off like he's some kinda-"  
  
"I don't care. We're done here."  
  
Sonic dragged his friend around the alley and back to where his bike was parked, the chihuahua cursing at them until they were out of sight.  
  
"Sonic, you know I coulda taken him."  
  
"That's not the point, bro," he said, hopping on. "We don't need to get arrested right now. We have to try to get through to Knuckles. We can't do that very well from cell block D, now can we?"  
  
"I guess."  
  
"Good. Now all we gotta do is wait for nightfall."  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"  
  
"WHAT?!" Bunnie shouted, sitting up. Her head whipped around a few times before realizing it came from Sally, also bolt upright.  
  
"What's wrong, Sally?"  
  
"Oh... oh, no, he... it must've been another nightmare."  
  
Bunnie was panting, but now she groaned loudly. "Oh, dear sweet lord..." She glanced at the alarm clock: 5:28. "Sally-girl, y'all need to take some kinda pills, 'cuz Ah don't think Ah can stand it. Besides, your feet are like glaciers."  
  
"No... no, I think I know what I have to do."  
  
Sally rolled out of bed and headed for the door.  
  
Bunnie got up and followed her. "Hey, where the heck do you think you're goin', trapesin' off at this time of night?"  
  
"I have to go to him," she said, walking down the hall to her room. "I can't stand being here, knowing he's off trying to bring peace and love to a gunfight."  
  
"But what are you gonna do when you find him?"  
  
She stopped with her hand on the knob. "I don't know. But I have to."  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
"I said, what's the plan? Helooo?"  
  
"Wha?" Sonic said, looking up. He'd been so enveloped in his music and his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed Tails until he started shaking him.  
  
"What's our plan, dude?"  
  
"Oh, right. Sorry." He stood up. "Okay, here's the deal. I'm just going to stand here at the end of this alley, and wait for him to show. You hide in that dumpster. I'm gonna give you my guns. If he does try to shoot me, it'll be your job to take him down." He put his hand on Tails's shoulder. "And try not to take him out, okay?"  
  
"Got it," he said. The fox glanced at his watch. "It's almost time. Should I go ahead?"  
  
"Yeah." Sonic took off his jacket and removed his guns, handing them to his friend. It felt so weird not having them--they had been a part of his life for so long.  
  
"Alright. See ya when this crap is over."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Tails hopped up into the dumpster, ducking down enough to be out of site to the casual pedestrian that doesn't dig through trash.  
  
An alley in Robotropolis. Was this where it all came to a crashing halt? Sonic stood at the dead end, leaning against the wall, singing along with his CD player, waiting.  
  
"Every time that I cry out, no one ever comes to me, every time that I reach out, no one ever rescues me...."  
  
He thought he heard a noise. Unnerved only a moment, he continued to sing to calm his nerves.  
  
"I wish I could hide from everyone..."  
  
Then he appeared.  
  
A dark sillouhette against the streetlamp on the corner, the fedora and trechcoat, the height... it had to be him. Especially since no one else would be dumb enough to hang around here. Despite the situation, he continued to sing.  
  
"Is there somewhere else to be, is there somewhere else to be, take me in, I want out, that's all I need..."  
  
"Bravo," Knuckles said, clapping. "What do you do for an encore? Bleed profusely?" His gun was already drawn, and he now leveled it directly at Sonic's head.  
  
"If that's what you want," he said. "But wouldn't you rather give this up, go home to Julie-Su?"  
  
The echidna faltered. "W-what?! How did you know-"  
  
"That you were married?" He couldn't help but smile. "I ran into Mrs. Knuckles in your city. We had a cup of coffee together. Nice girl." His smile faded. "She doesn't seem to know about any of this."  
  
"You didn't... tell her, did you?" He raised the gun again. "So help me, if you did..."  
  
"Don't worry, Red. Your secret's safe." He walked toward him slowly. "What I wanna know is why, 'Mayor Echidna'. Why of all people would you want to get in on this?"  
  
"That's none of your business, speed freak. I do as I please."  
  
"Can it, Knux! You're killing people to chase after a prize that may not even be legit! And what do you need with it, anyway? You live in a mansion, for Bob's sake!"  
  
"You don't know the pressures, man," he said. "It's not as easy and rich as it sounds."  
  
"Well, good, 'cuz it sounds pretty damn rich to me!"  
  
"My city's about bankrupt, Sonic!" He sighed. "Our exports are gone, and our tourist population is way down. There's a lot of work to be done on a lot of different things. We're basically surviving. If I don't tax the hell out of everybody, the city will go under. And high taxes may drive everybody away, anyway. My only hope lies in this contest."  
  
"How could you," Sonic said in a low, controlled voice. "How could you leave your wife at home, not even letting her know you might never return. Business trip," he added, scoffing.  
  
"This IS business! If I win, the city will be able to fix all the road and air problems. Ever since Robotnik's terrorists destroyed the Heziah Recreation Center, there's been a general fear among the whole population. The money could rebuild that building, Sonic!"  
  
"This isn't the way," he said, gritting his teeth. "You know that."  
  
"I'm sorry, old friend. There is no other way."  
  
Sonic leapt to the side as a slug came streaking past his ear, barely missing its target in the middle of his forehead. He rolled and came out of it standing. As he looked up, he saw Tails pull the trigger, sending a bullet directly into Knuckles's right shoulder.  
  
"AAAAGHHH!!!" The gun fell to the ground, and Knuckles whirled to face his attacker. "You, kid?! You, of all people? Oh, you picked the wrong moment to show up!" He leapt at Tails, but he jumped up, flying high and leaving the echidna to land in the garbage.  
  
Sonic started walking toward the dumpster to pull him out, but he suddenly heard a clicking sound on the pavement. It was coming around the corner toward them.  
  
"Someone's coming," Tails said from far above.  
  
Sonic didn't have time. He ran to the dumpster, grabbed Knuckles's gun and hid in the shadows.  
  
The clicking got louder, nearing the dumpster. He looked around the corner and received a shock.  
  
"H-hello?"  
  
Sally looked worried. She acted very nervous, looking around for a moment, then sighed and started to walk away.  
  
"Sally?"  
  
She whirled around as he snuck out from behind his hiding place. "Oh, Sonic!" She ran into his arms, trying not to go to pieces. "I thought I heard gun shots, and I came to see, and I just hoped you weren't-"  
  
"Shh," he soothed, stroking her back. "What the hell are you doing here, Sally? It's not safe!"  
  
"I was so scared for you. I couldn't stand it, I had to come, to make sure you were okay!"  
  
"You've go to get out of here," he said. "This city's no place for you--for anyone, for that matter."  
  
"I can't leave you now!" She wiped away the tears forming despite her willpower. "I had such terrible nightmares. If I leave you here alone, I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about them!" She looked into his eyes. "Can't we just leave, now?"  
  
"Sorry, but I still have business to attend to."  
  
"And that business has to attend to you!"  
  
Before Sonic knew what was happening, Knuckles sprang from the dumpster, firing a shot at him with his own gun. Tails had forgotten them in there! But something was not as it should be. He felt it, and it was reflected in the horror on Knuckles's face.  
  
Someone was between him and the bullet.  
  
Everything went still, a moment frozen in time. He could see Knuckles, suspended in midair, leaping from the garbage, his gun held straight toward her, his expression a mixture of anger, confusion and terror. He could see Sally, her eyes wide like a deer in headlights, turning ever-so-slowly toward the sound of the gunfire. He could see the paper blowing down the deserted street outside the alley, stopped a few inches above the sidewalk. And he could see...  
  
What was that?  
  
As time resumed again, he saw Knuckles lying on the ground, panting, gaze fixed straight ahead. He looked like he was in shock, disbelief at his attack going so terribly wrong multiplying thousands and thousands of times. He looked down at his feet, afraid of the condition he would find his princess in.  
  
She was fine, but someone else was not.  
  
"Oh, Tails," he said, rolling him over. The hole in his side was pouring blood at an alarming rate. He hoped against hope it wasn't fatal. "Don't die on me, keyed!"  
  
Sally slowly stood up, almost as much in shock as Knuckles. She looked down at herself, finding only a nick from the bullet. Then she turned and saw Tails.  
  
"T-tails?!" She bent over him. "Can it really be him? Oh, God, what happened?!"  
  
"No," the echidna babbled. "Not her, no, no, no..."  
  
"It went right through him! Got to get him out of here," Sonic said, dressing the wound as best he could with what he had. "Oh, no, please, Tails!"  
  
"Is, is he okay?" she asked, tears running down her cheeks.  
  
"I sure hope so," he replied, picking him up. "I only hope we can get to Xander in time!"  
  
"We can take the jet car I rented," she said.  
  
"Oh, thank you," he said, kissing her on the cheek. "Thank God for your car!" They ran around the corner at full speed, Sally hanging onto his neck.  
  
Knuckles sobbed. "It... wasn't meant for her..."  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
DING-DONG!  
  
"Would you excuse me, Margot?" Julie-Su said to the image on the wall. "I need to get that."  
  
"Take your time, deary."  
  
Julie pressed a button on the wall and the screen changed to show the "On-Hold" message. As the doorbell rang again, she hurried down the grand staircase to the front door and opened it.  
  
"Oh, my Lord!"  
  
There stood a dishevled Sonic, carrying her love.  
  
"Sonic, what's going on?!"  
  
"He's okay," he said. "His shoulder's a little tender, and he's out from exhaustion. Cried himself to sleep."  
  
"What happened, Sonic? Tell me!"  
  
"You'd better let him tell you himself when he wakes up." If she wasn't mistaken, he almost said that bitterly. The hedgehog walked in and set him on the couch in the living room, then turned to leave.  
  
"Hey, wait a second here, buster! I want an explaination."  
  
"Sorry, I don't have that right. Well, see you around."  
  
With that he raced off, leaving her to wonder what had happened until her battered husband awoke to inform her.  
  
"Great."  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
Sonic walked into the hotel room, more worn and weary than he had been in a long time. Sally was sitting on the bed watching the news. She stood up to greet him.  
  
"Well? Did you find him?"  
  
"Yeah, right where we left him." He took off his jacket and flopped down on the bed. "He evidently just cried until he couldn't stay awake any longer, then passed out."  
  
"I can't believe him!" She clenched her fists. "He was going to... to..."  
  
"Sally, he's no worse than I was. I just realized what was happening to me in time to change." He got up and went to the mini-fridge. "Anything to drink in here?"  
  
"Just white soda," she said. "I couldn't stand any caffeine last night."  
  
"Fine." He pulled out the green bottle and took a swig. "So, any word on Tails?"  
  
"Yes," she said, brightening. "They think he's going to make it."  
  
"Oh, thank God," he said, letting out a sigh of relief. "At least no casualties came of yesterday." He looked down. "Especially not him."  
  
"I can't believe how big he's gotten," she said, leaning back against the pillows. "He's not my little surrogate boy anymore."  
  
"That's for sure," he said. Sonic figured he could do without telling her just how grown-up Tails was acting now.  
  
"Sonic, I... I want to thank you for getting a room with two beds."  
  
"No problem, Sal. I knew one wouldn't have been right under the circumstances."  
  
"No, it's not just that. I just... don't want to rush our relationship into that department just yet."  
  
"Hey, I understand that perfectly," he said, sitting next to her. "After all, that was your occupation for a while. You want me to be your friend, not a customer."  
  
She smiled brilliantly, flinging her arms around him. "Oh, I don't deserve you!"  
  
"Ditto."  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
  
"So."  
  
There they were, gathered at the edge of town. Sonic was holding Sally's hand, as were Knuckles and Julie. Tails was talking excitedly to Bunnie, whom they had telephoned after everything was settled to update her on current events. She had flown in immediately.  
  
"Ahem," Sonic said. Tails and Bunnie fell silent. "So, this is it. We're going."  
  
"Yeah," Knuckles said. "I guess we are."  
  
"No reservations here," Sally said, squeezing her soulmate's hand.  
  
"Me neither, shuga-hog."  
  
"It'll be hard to leave the city behind," Julie said, looking back.  
  
"Good thing you're my wife and not Lot's," Knuckles teased. "You'd be a pillar of salt a few times over."  
  
"I can't help it, honey. We had a life there!" She sighed. "It'll be hard letting go."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Well, let's go," Tails said, boarding the plane to take his place in the pilot's chair.  
  
"After you, Julie."  
  
"Thank you, dear."  
  
Bunnie got on next. "Goodbye, land that Ah love," she said. She sang quietly as she climbed though the hatch. "Leavin' on a jet plane..."  
  
Then Sally and Sonic were alone at the bottom of the stairs, the barren landscape kicking up from the strong breeze.  
  
"Well, this is it, Sally." He took her hands in his. "Are you sure you want to leave everything behind to hang out with fugitives?"  
  
"Ah, but you see, you're my favorite fugitives."  
  
Sonic laughed. "Then I guess you'd better."  
  
She looked deeply into his eyes, drawing closer to him. "Sonic, what's going to happen to us?"  
  
"Don't worry," he whispered. "We'll make it."  
  
They were inches from each other's lips when Knuckles shouted from the hatchway.  
  
"Hey, I'm glad you find this romantic, but we're kinda waiting!"  
  
"Hey, shut up, ye of the married!" Sonic stuck his tongue out at the echidna. "After you, Ms. Acorn."  
  
"Why, thank you, kind sir." She boarded the plane, leaving Sonic alone to gaze out toward the horizon. The distant city of Robotropolis was barely visible, mostly because of the disgusting clouds of smoke rising from it. Sonic laughed.  
  
"Well, we're out of here, Robotnik. You tried to pit us against each other, but you lost. You'll always lose." He smiled. "I never thought it could happen, but I was wrong; there can be more than one master of the game."  
  
Then the hedgehog joined his friends inside the plane on its way to freedom.  
  
  
¤¤§¤¤  
the end 


End file.
